Billy Williams

From Sports Library

Billy Williams
Image:Cubs26W.PNG _{Number retired on 13 August 1987}
Position	Outfield (2,088-games) DH (251-games) 1B (96-games)
MLB Seasons	18 (16-Chicago) (2-Oakland)
Teams	Chicago Cubs Oakland A's
Debut	6 August 1959 (Chicago)
Final Game	2 Oct. 1976 (Oakland)
Total Games	2,488 batting (2,184 fielding)
LCS Appearances	1975 ALCS (Oakland)
World Series Teams	(none)
Allstar Teams	1962, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1973
Awards	National League Rookie of the Year (1961)
	The Sporting News Player of the Year (1972)
	1972 League Leader for both Batting Average (.333); and Slugging % (.606)
	National Baseball Hall of Fame (1987)
Nicknames'
"Sweet" "Sweet Swingin' Billy"

Billy Leo Williams (born June 15, 1938) is an American former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. A highly competitive player on talented Chicago Cubs teams that never reached the post-season, he finally realized his dream of playing in the post-season late in his career with the Oakland Athletics. Like his teammates Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, and Ron Santo, he never played in a World Series.

Williams was born in Whistler, Alabama. He started his career in 1959, joining a team that would feature stars like Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, and Ron Santo by the early 1960s. Williams was selected as the Rookie of the Year in 1961. He set a National League record for consecutive games played with 1,117 between 1962-1971 (since eclipsed by Steve Garvey 1975-1983 with 1,207). Had 13 straight seasons of 20 or more home runs and 84 or more RBI, 1961 to 1973.

Billy Williams
is a member of
the Baseball
Hall of Fame

Williams enjoyed his finest season in 1972 at age 34, when he paced the league in batting average with a .333 mark, also posting a .606 slugging percentage while collecting 37 home runs and 122 runs batted in. He finished behind Johnny Bench in the MVP selection, just as he had done in 1970. It was his last great season in the league before being traded to the American League's Oakland Athletics for second baseman Manny Trillo and two pitchers. Williams helped lead Oakland to the 1975 American League West championship as a designated hitter, hitting 23 homers with 81 RBI. He retired a year later.

After accumulating a lifetime .290 BA with 426 homers and 1475 RBI, Billy Williams was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987, and on August 13 of that same year had his number 26 retired at Wrigley Field. Following his departure from the Cubs, the number had been reassigned to other players from time to time, most notably Larry Biittner, although Williams reclaimed it during several intervals of coaching with the Cubs after his playing days had ended. Williams was the Cubs hitting coach from 1980-1982 and again from 1986-1987. He was a member of the coaching staff as first base coach, bench coach and hitting coach from 1992-2001. During his hiatus from his on-field duties from 1988-1991, he remained with the organization in a front office role. He currently serves as Cubs' special assistant to the president.

He made no secret of his desire to manage the team and expressed disappointment when Dallas Green overlooked him after Jim Frey was fired in 1986 and Gene Michael was fired in 1987. Green's choice when Frey was axed was Michael, a longtime New York Yankees coach who had little exposure to the National League or the Cubs. Green's choice to replace Michael was reportedly himself, and when Tribune Company executives vetoed that decision, Green was set to appoint longtime bench coach John Vukovich. When Green decided to resign rather than hire Vukovich, new general manager Jim Frey hired his childhood friend Don Zimmer, again denying Williams a chance to manage.

In 1999, he was named as a finalist to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Stats

Height: 6'- 1"
Weight: 175 lb
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
Uniform number: 26
MLB:
- Batting average: .290
- Hits: 2,711
- RBI's: 1,475
- Home runs: 426
- Doubles: 434
Played 1,117 consecutive games (1962-1971)
League Leader:
- 1972-Batting average (.333)
- 1972-Slugging average (.606)
- 1970-Runs (137)
- 1970-Hits (205)
- 3-time leader - total bases:
  - 1968: 321
  - 1970: 373
  - 1972: 348
3-time leader in top-10 votes for league MVP:
- 1968-8^th
- 1970-2^nd
- 1972-2^nd
5-time leader - games played (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)

External links

"Its all about R-e-s-p-e-c-t for 'Sweet Swingin' Billy Williams
Baseball Hall of Fame
The Williams-Santo Cubs 1961-1965 @ The Hardball Times
Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis

Preceded by Frank Howard	National League Rookie of the Year 1961	Succeeded by Ken Hubbs
Preceded by Willie Mays	Major League Player of the Month May 1964	Succeeded by Jim Bunning
Preceded by César Cedeño	Major League Player of the Month July 1972	Succeeded by Ken Henderson
Preceded by Joe Torre	National League Batting Champion 1972	Succeeded by Pete Rose